Migration tip-offs fail to produce removals, MPs find

Fewer than one report in 50 of illegal immigration results in someone being removed from the country, a group of influential MPs has discovered.

A close look at the allegations database, set up by the now-defunct UK Border Agency (UKBA) to follow up tip-offs, revealed about 6 per cent of claims lead to investigations and 1.5 per cent to removals.

The Home Affairs Select Committee report also said the UKBA had a backlog of 432,029 when it was scrapped at the end of March which, at current rates, will take five years to clear.

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After a series of damning reports, Home Secretary Theresa May abolished the UKBA and replaced it with UK Visas and Immigration and an Immigration Enforcement command, which were brought back under Ministers’ control.

Committee chairman Keith Vaz MP said: “There are still over 430,000 cases languishing in the backlogs, enough to fill Wembley Stadium almost five times over.

“As we have said on numerous occasions, the backlogs must be cleared as a matter of priority. Only then will the Home Office be able to tackle the deeper problems in the immigration system.”

He added: “If the Government wants to get tough on illegal immigrants it needs to take effective action. When people make allegations about those here illegally the Home Office must act.

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“Currently only six in 100 reports of illegal immigrants result in an actual investigation and only 1.5 in 100 result in removal. This is a very poor record and does not give confidence to those who go out of their way to help the Home Office.”

The committee found that between its introduction on September 30 last year and June 30 this year, about 48,660 allegations had been received – 178 a day.

In the eight months to May, allegations resulted in 2,695 investigations with visits by Immigration Enforcement officers, 1,840 arrests and 660 removals.

Mr Vaz lamented the “chaotic summer for immigration policy”, citing the controversial “go home” vans, allegations that Capita asked UK citizens to leave their own country, Twitter being used to publicise raids and the U-turn on visa bonds